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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS LCI(L)-444


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Quebec - Hotel - Golf
NQHG
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is top to bottom, from left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive) - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (2) - World War II Victory Medal


LCI(L)-351 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large):
  • Laid down, 21 May 1943, at New Jersey Shipbuilding Corp., Barber, N.J.
  • Launched, 4 August 1943
  • Commissioned USS LCI(L)-444, 15 August 1943
  • During World War II USS LCI(L)-444 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater:
    LCI Flotilla Five; and
    LCI Flotilla Twenty Two (1944-45), CDR. Paul McD. Smith USN (1944) and CDR. Marion M. Byrd (1944-45) and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Bismarck Archipelago operation
    Green Islands landing, 15 to 19 February 1944
    Western New Guinea operations
    Noemfoor operation, 2 to 3 July 1944
    Morotai Island landings, 15 September 1944

  • Following World War II USS LCI(L)-444 was assigned to Commander Philippine Sea Frontier
  • Decommissioned, date unknown
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 17 April 1946
  • USS LCI(L)-444 earned two battle stars for service in WWII
  • Final Disposition, sold, 3 December 1946
    Specifications:
    Displacement 236 t.(light), 264 t.(landing), 419 t.(loaded)
    Length 158' 5½"
    Beam 23' 3"
    Draft
    Light, 3'1½" mean
    Landing, 2' 8" forward, 4' 10" aft
    Loaded, 5' 4" forward, 5' 11" aft
    Speed
    16 kts (max.)
    14 kts maximum continuous
    Complement
    4 officers
    24 enlisted
    Troop Capacity
    6 officers
    182 enlisted
    Cargo Capacity 75 tons
    Armor 2" plastic splinter protection on gun turrets, conning tower and pilot house
    Endurance 4,000 miles at 12 kts, loaded, 500 miles at 15 knots; and 110 tons of fuel
    Armament
    five single 20mm guns, one bow mounted, one each port and starboard forward of wheelhouse, one each port and starboard aft of wheelhouse
    on some LCIs two .50 cal machine guns were added
    Fuel Capacity
    Diesel 860 Bbls
    lube oil 200 gal
    Propulsion
    two sets of 4 General Motors 6051 series 71 Diesel engines, 4 per shaft
    single General Motors Main reduction gears
    two Diesel-drive 30Kw 120V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    twin variable pitch propellers, 2,320shp

    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image
    Size Image Description Source
    LCI(L)-444 18k USS LCI(L)-444 crew photo taken in Lae, New Guinea, 1944. Photo courtesy of Verlin Creed.
    Photo from the USS LCI National Association's newsletter "The Elsie Item," June 2006 issue.
    Ardie Hunt
    LCI(L)-344 126k New Zealand troops file down USS LCI(L)-444's ramps, 16 February 1944, as part of the occupation of Green Island, in the Solomon Islands group.
    Australian War Memorial, Photo No. 304260
    Mike Green
    LCI(L)-444 110k USS LCI(L)-444 beached at Trinity Beach, Queensland, Australia, 9 November 1944, while Australian troops of 2/1 Pioneer Battalion practice embarkation on landing craft prior to carrying out exercise "Octopus." In the background is an unidentified LCI(L) also taking part in the exercise. Australian War Memorial

    The history for LCI(L)-444 is from USS LCI "Landing Craft Infantry", Vol. II. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company, © 1995. (ISBN 1-56311-262-0)
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    The History of LCI Flotilla 22
    USS Landing Craft Infantry National Association
    Back to the Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Landing Craft Infantry LCI Photo Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 1 October 2015